Issue - meetings

To receive a report by the Managing Director.

Agreed to form a strategic shared services partnership with South Cambridgeshire District Council, whilst continuing to work with  other councils including Cambridge City Council on services where there is a business case and a shared commitment to work together; approved the establishment of a joint informal steering group with the Leaders and/or relevant Portfolio Holders of  Huntingdonshire District Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, and where appropriate Cambridge City Council, to oversee progress and report back to the respective Cabinets and decision-making bodies; endorsed phase 1 of a shared services programme incorporating Legal, ICT and Building Control; and approved initial funding of up to £50,000 for project management costs from the Transformation Budget,

(Councillor R S Farrer was in attendance and spoke on this item.)

By way of a report by the Managing Director, the Cabinet was invited to consider the development of a strategic shared services programme with the Council’s strategic partner, South Cambridgeshire District Council and where the opportunity exists with Cambridge City Council and other appropriate partners.

Members were reminded that the authority has significant budget challenges to address and given its low council tax precept there is limited opportunity to increase income through this route.  Furthermore, budget reductions were no longer sufficient to ensure that the Council can continue to deliver core services in the context of rising needs and expectations from both residents and businesses.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor Farrer, Ward Member for St Neots Eaton Ford, addressed the Cabinet. Councillor Farrer informed members that he acknowledged the Council needed to make savings but, in his opinion, this was not the right way to do it.  He expressed the view that a partnership arrangement would have an adverse effect on the excellent service currently provided by the Council. Furthermore, in Councillor Farrer’s opinion building control should be managed in-house and fees increased.

The Executive Leader advised Councillor Farrer that the addition of private sector approved inspectors together with the financial challenges faced by the Council had prompted the need to consider new approaches for the delivery of services. It was reiterated that the proposal was intended to improve services, reduce costs and protect and enhance delivery and performance through a strategic approach.

Having noted that the formation of a strategic partnership had been endorsed at an earlier meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well Being), the Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  that a strategic shared services partnership be formed with South Cambridgeshire District Council, whilst continuing to work with  other councils including Cambridge City Council on services where there is a business case and a shared commitment to work together;

(b)  that a joint informal steering group with the Leaders and/or relevant Portfolio Holders of  Huntingdonshire District Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, and where appropriate Cambridge City Council be established, to oversee progress and report back to the respective Cabinets and decision-making bodies;

(c)  that phase 1 of a shared services programme incorporating Legal, ICT and Building Control be endorsed; and

(d)  that initial funding of up to £50,000 for project management costs from the Transformation Budget be approved.

To consider a report by the Managing Director setting out progress with the development of a shared services programme with South Cambridgeshire District Council.

(Councillor J D Ablewhite, Executive Leader, was in attendance for this item).

(At 6.30pm Councillor P G Mitchell took his seat at the meeting during the discussion on this item).

By way of a report by the Managing Director (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Panel gave consideration to the development of a strategic shared services partnership with South Cambridgeshire District Council. As part of the proposal, the Council would continue to work with Cambridge City Council and other appropriate partners where the opportunity existed.

The Executive Leader reminded Members that the Council had significant budget challenges to meet and reductions in Government grant were likely to continue well beyond the next General Election. In the long term it was the Cabinet’s aspiration for the Authority to become self-financing and whilst the Council had already begun to make good progress on delivering efficiencies, it was imperative that it continued to take all opportunities to minimise costs whilst protecting and enhancing services.

Members were advised that the report signalled the first stage of the establishment of a strategic agreement with South Cambridgeshire District Council, an authority which was similar in terms of size, priorities, challenges and political ambition. The Executive Leader emphasised that there was no intention to dilute the sovereign identity of Huntingdonshire which would remain a District Council in its own right and that the proposal did not preclude the Authority from working with other authorities should the opportunity emerge.

In considering the contents of the report, the Panel sought clarification as to the extent and scope of the proposals, the impact on the Council’s working practices and on employees and the arrangements for managing and monitoring risk connected with the partnership’s activities. In response, Members were informed that there would inevitably be changes to working practices and that in due course there also would be changes to the ways in which the Authority was structured. In terms of risk, the day to day arrangements would be overseen by a working group comprising the Head of Paid Service and Section 151 Officer of the partner authorities. Specific risks would also be addressed in outline business cases as and when they were brought forward.

In response to a suggestion by a Member that opportunities for joint working in relation to the collection of refuse should be investigated, the Panel was reminded that the RECAP partnership was looking at such collaborative arrangements and that developments between South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City Council might be used as a platform which could be developed by the District Council at the appropriate time. However, in the first instance it was intended to concentrate on back office services.

Following an expression of concern that the Council might lose control of its services as it diversified and entered into a number of partnership arrangements, the Executive Leader reiterated that the development of a shared services approach had no bearing on the sovereignty of services which would remain under the control of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21